While many people will spend time with family and friends at the pool or the lake on Memorial Day, WTOP spoke with veterans from World War II about the true meaning of the holiday.
A recent USAA survey, performed by Endeavor Analytics and YouGov, stated that nearly half of American adult responders, 45%, believe an appropriate way to observe Memorial Day is to wish a veteran a “Happy Memorial Day” and thank them for their service.
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While the sentiment is well-intentioned, Memorial Day serves as a day to remember service members killed during military conflicts.
The federal holiday is always held on the last Monday in May. It was originally called Decoration Day, formalized by Grand Army of the Republic Commander-in-Chief John A. Logan in 1868, in the wake of the Civil War.
It increasingly became known as Memorial Day through the years, and after World War I, the holiday expanded to honor those who died in all American wars. It became an official federal holiday in 1971.
“You have to reflect on what it means,” Merchant Marine veteran Dave Yoho told WTOP. He said his Pacific division in the war saw high casualty rates.
“What we want to do is say, ‘How do we keep this story alive?'” Yoho said. “Well, this is part of it. But this is one day.”
Retired Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jeffrey Donahue, 101, served as a fighter pilot in the Pacific Theater, flying F4U Corsair aircrafts.
“Memorial is something we’ve got to live with, so don’t let it fall away from you,” Donahue said at the National World War II Memorial on the National Mall. “Live it every day.”
Over the past century, wearing a red poppy has become symbolic of honoring fallen service members especially around the federal holiday.
Sgt. Harry Miller said he saw many friends killed in the Battle of the Bulge. He hopes more Americans will embrace wearing the red poppy on this occasion.
“I’d like to have them go to Europe. England, for example, people over there, they all wear poppies. Everybody. Everybody on TV has a poppy on their lapel,” Miller said. “That is moving, and if you don’t cry when that’s going on, you don’t have a half a brain. That’s all I can say.”